In The 'Hot Seat,' Mass. Rep. Neal Fights Back On Fundraising

Massachusetts Congressman Richard Neal speaks to reporters in the lobby of the federal courthouse in Springfield on November 7, 2018.

Adam Frenier
/ NEPR

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As we look back at the news of this week, Congressman Richard Neal of Springfield, Massachusetts, pushed back against criticism over his fundraising tactics.

Neal, who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee, shot back at Williamsburg resident and former Salon.com editor David Daley, who recently penned an opinion piece in The Boston Globe.

Daley pointed out Neal has been holding expensive fundraisers since he became chair of the committee in January. According to Daley, Neal has used the events to raise large sums of money from corporations and industry lobbying groups with business before his committee. And Daley says Neal is spending too much time traveling around the country instead of his district.

Panelist Shaheen Pasha noted that Neal has been an incumbent for a long time.

"I think the last election showed him that there are other people, fresh voices, that are willing to step up, and he's actually going to be put in the hot seat," Pasha said. "I think there's some level, some undercurrent, of anger — about the Trump taxes, and his role, and whether he's looking at the district [or] has higher ambitions. So I think the seat is definitely getting hotter."

"Neal is very entrenched," said panelist Dave Eisenstadter. "He has his Springfield base of support. ...I think there are probably a number of challenges brewing, whether it's from Mayor Morse, or from David Daley, or someone we haven't heard of yet."

Since the Democrats won back control of the House, Massachusetts Congressman Richard Neal has become one of the party’s most influential members as the chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee.